MDM Utd's second game of the season saw them travel to Wing to play Oving. Both teams looking to bounce back from defeats last time out. With Foster and Cooky away new recruits were called up. Cooperman and Motty from the Ressies ans Robbie Corigliano from the Youth Team.
4-4-2 with Morbey in for Foster, Snowy, Thods and Lee. Jason making his first start with Dave, Wayne and Gaz. The terrible twosome Ant and Liam up top and of course Jake in goal.
Simple passing and cut out the mistakes was the aim in the heat - sadly within 2 minutes MDM were behind Snowy and Thoday not talking and it was 1-0.
Les Bleues were still trying to play football with Oving looking for their big man up top to flick on. Like last week despite the play we didnt look dangerous and Oving did on the break. The referee was a total joke giving anything called for an threatening to book any question or statement posed to him having words with Dave, Wayne and Thods in a short space of time. However we battled on with Thods blocking one shot and nipping back in time to reedem himself while Jake made a smart save low down. The real saviour of the 1st half though was the alert Jason averting a goal on the line with a smart clearance. At the other end Liam and Ant sniffed around but our final ball was poor. We were then given a sucker punch as a huge long throw (again) caught out Thoday out of position and it was 2-0.
The more we tried to play the more we looked like conceding as they swarmed forward with no one tracking quick enough but no one could see it. Yet again we were our own worst enemies - proven by half-time squables and we were all at sea. (this needs to stop and throughout the game, we cannot change things so lets talk one at a time at the break in future!!)
However halftime 2-0.
Thanks to Ant and Gaz's positivity we went out knowing we were in the game but had to be more direct and quicker at it plus we had to man mark with no spare man. This worked wonders within a few minutes as Jakes big hoof caused havoc in the Oving defence and Liam bungled through it and their keeper to slot home into an empty new. However the lead was short lived as the big kick forward was flicked on by the number 9 which he ran onto to cross for a goal within seconds of the restart, it happened soon after and Oving were 4-1 ahead. Cruising and show-boating Gaffer Thods was forced to change things with every player lacking confidence and dissarray. Whether man marking, sweeper, or just giving the ball away the main thing we lacked was the legs to track back.
Cue potential master stroke on two accounts, Gaz dropped into CB in place of a glum Thoday who moved into CM plotting substitutions whilst trying to keep the score down.
However before any changes could be made a huge hoof again this time by Gaz bamboozled the Oving defence and Liam was through again to tap home. 4-2 and galvanised Thoday decided against any subs. Wayne suddenly had all the time in the world and let Thoday do all the running around as he, Dave and Jason started to click. The defence looked more organised as no one ventured foward but the main thing was Thoday's somehow new found legs that MDM missed trying to have two holding midfielders.
The game also changed following Oving's decision to sub their quick number 10 believing the game was won as the game soon went in our favour as more and more balls were put into the Oving defence which Ant and Liam suddenly found they had the beating of their markers. Within minutes the two worked well as Liam found Ant who turned two men to slot home 4-3 and the small MDM support were going wild as Oving's dismay was clear to see. This shook Oving up a little as they tried to attack but their final ball was poor with some important blocks from Jake and Snowy with Gaz organising them well. Robbie replaced Lee at right back for his debut to try and maintain our momentum as well as providing some fresh legs.
Despite our dominance now we could not squeeze an equaliser; Thoday put Liam through only to fluff the chance. and various high balls were snuffed out by the ref calling offside rather then the lino and some failed crosses. However as we pushed forward for some reason Thoday decided not to hoof the ball into the box instead actually looking up to see a wondering Snowy 30 yards out on the right wing and providing a pin point 40 yard pass straight to the defenders feet who then decided to curl a beauty into the top corner 4-4!!! Somehow!
Motty replaced Liam to try and hold the ball up with around 20 minutes left as MDM went for the winner. Robbie had his quick winger in his pocket despite being out of position (despite a shocking throw-in worth then Dave Spaniard's attempt) and Morbs was finding space down the left as Gaz and Snowy sat and defended with Wayne now tightly in front. There were few more clear cut chances as the game went end to end until Les Blues won a corner. Gaz sensed blood and sprinted (I think) forward and leapt like a salmon to see his header superbly saved by the Oving keeper only for the rebound to bobble around 3 yards out and as the defender tried to clear a muscular Ant nudged him off the ball to find the unlikely source of Gaffer Thods to prob home from close range. 4-5!! What a comeback and what a goalscorer - many still not believing their eyes; the Gaffer included.
Thods and Ant then deciced to move to a 4-5-1 with Cooper coming on to replace Morbs with Jason reverting to LB. With 15 minutes left we knew we had to hang on so not to waste the mircaculous turnaround every player had helped achieve, we suddenly chased down everything. Thoday like a player reborn was running all over the pitch as the defence stood firm and had it not been for the iffy ref we may have killed the game off. However his decisions were not needed as MDM held on for a memorable 4-5 win coming back from 4-1 down 30 minutes left.
Lads, I have not seen us smile that much all pre-season in that last third of the game. We now know what we can do and need to remain positive. Decision making cost us early on, myself personally within this but it is a team game and needs effort, tactics are chosen and attempted to be played and I stress attempt. However effort is a bare minimum so the last 30 minutes made up for it. We do actually have a good spirit and banter but seem to want to moan at others rather then focus on what we can do to change things.
We currently sit 5th after two games and should not be afraid of anyone.
Ludgershall next week and a big three points needed as well as an easier game please xx
